The
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today that
it has awarded the conservation organization American Rivers a $700,000
grant to restore migratory fish to coastal streams and rivers around
the country. The organizations will continue their joint activities
to identify and fund promising restoration efforts in the Northeast,
Mid-Atlantic, and California – and will expand the program to
include the Pacific Northwest for the first time.

“The
continued partnership between NOAA and American Rivers demonstrates
both organizations' commitment to restoring fisheries habitat,”
said retired Navy Vice Admiral Conrad
C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans
and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “These habitat restoration
efforts fit into our model of ecosystem-based management, and promote
local stewardship of the habitats that sustain our nation’s
fishery resources.”

“We
are delighted that we can expand on our successful collaboration,”
said Rebecca R. Wodder, president of American Rivers. “When
we contribute to a river restoration project, we are making an investment
in a healthier stream or river for future generations to enjoy.”

Since
2001, American Rivers and the NOAA Restoration Center have partnered
to remove dams, culverts, and other obstructions in streams and rivers
that block salmon, striped bass, American shad, and other species
that migrate between fresh and salt water. The two organizations distributed
more than $1.1 million to help remove 24 unwanted dams, bypass four
dams that will remain in place, replace three culverts, and complete
18 feasibility studies for future work.

Twice a year for the next two years, NOAA and American Rivers will
call for new proposals for dam removals and fish passage projects
in the target regions. To be eligible, applicants must secure non-federal
matching funds and detail how their proposed project will benefit
migratory fish species.

NOAA
and American Rivers have already obligated almost $300,000 of the
$700,000 for 14 projects. Some of these projects include:

California

Quarry
Bridge Restoration Project – Will remove an existing
road-crossing barrier to facilitate the migration of coho salmon
and steelhead trout. The existing structure will be replaced with
a bridge.

Bear
Creek Culvert Removal – Will remove two out-dated
culverts to facilitate fish passage. Both culverts will be replaced
with bridges that meet fish passage standards.

Paul
Sweet Road Fish Passage – Will remove a metal pipe
culvert that forms a barrier to steelhead access to prime spawning
and rearing habitat. A flatcar bridge will be installed upstream
of the culvert.

Bronson Brook Fish Passage Improvement & Habitat Restoration
– Is addressing two perched culverts that currently block
fish passage. Once completed the culverts will function more as
stretches of stream rather than concrete or metal pipes.

Red
Brook Restoration Project – Involves the removal
of a deteriorating dam on Red Brook and implementation of a sediment
management plan that is both fish and habitat-friendly.

Oregon

Endersby Cutoff Culvert Removal – Will remove the
existing Endersby Cutoff culvert and replace it with a larger, bottomless
culvert.

Butte
Creek Culvert Replacement – Will replace a perched
culvert with a bottomless arch culvert and restore the natural slope
of the stream.

Pennsylvania

Palmerton Dam Removal Project –Will involve removal
of the orphaned Palmerton Dam in order to restore spawning habitat
for American shad and other migratory species.

The
nation’s leading river organization, American Rivers gives a
national voice to a growing movement of civic groups dedicated to
protecting and restoring their hometown rivers and streams. In addition
to its partnership with NOAA, American Rivers provides a broad range
of technical assistance and advice to communities considering or planning
the removal of unwanted dams.

The
NOAA Restoration Center Community-based Restoration Program is a financial
and technical assistance program that promotes strong partnerships
at the national, regional and local level to restore fisheries habitat.
NOAA CRP works with organizations and government to support locally-driven
habitat restoration projects in marine, estuarine and riparian areas.
NOAA CRP funds on-the-ground habitat restoration projects that (1)
offer educational and social benefits for citizens and their communities,
and (2) provide long-term ecological benefits for fishery resources.
Since 1996, more than 900 projects in 26 states have been implemented
using NOAA funding and leveraged funding from national and regional
habitat restoration partners.

Each
year, NOAA awards approximately $900 million in grants to members
of the academic, scientific, and business communities to assist the
agency in fulfilling its mission to study the Earth’s natural
systems in order to predict environmental change, manage ocean resources,
protect life and property, and provide decision makers with reliable
scientific information. NOAA goals and programs reflect a commitment
to these basic responsibilities of science and service to the nation
for the past 35 years.

NOAA,
an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, is dedicated to enhancing
economic security and national safety through the prediction and research
of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental
stewardship of our nation’s coastal and marine resources.

Through
the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA
is working with its federal partners and nearly 60 countries to develop
a global monitoring network that is as integrated as the planet it
observes.